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Forbes Ranks Washington D.C. the ‘Coolest’ City in America

The Lincoln Memorial (foreground), Washington Monument (C) and US Capitol (background) are seen from air on the National Mall October 17, 2012 above Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

Aerial photo of the National Mall. (credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

A mixture of nightlife, recreation, entertainment and sports has ranked the nation’s capital as a “high-amenity” city with nearly 30 percent of its population between 20 and 34 years old.

The annual list chose D.C. due to its growth in population – 4.9 percent since 2010 – and abundant choices in entertainment and food options per capita.

“There’s certainly plenty to do, from visiting the many museums along the National Mall to taking in a Washington Nationals game to simply enjoying the cherry blossoms in springtime,” Forbes says.

The District is one of only six East Coast cities to make the list, while eight cities from California found their way on the countdown. Bethesda, Maryland ranked No. 20.

“We’ve entered an era now where certain cities are magnets for young, innovative, productive workers,” says Dennis Hoffman, professor of economics at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. “It’s having this magnetism that a number of the rest of us in places that are not on this list are trying to aspire to: the Salt Lakes, the Phoenixes, the pretty much anywhere in Middle America.”

Rounding out the top five cities are Seattle, Austin, Houston, and San Francisco, respectively.

Boston, New York City, Miami, and Raleigh are the other East Coast cities featured.